The Forgotten Victims: Displaced Animals in Natural Disasters
Wildfires broke out in California on January 7, leaving a devastating wake of destruction in their path that resulted in thousands of homes being completely destroyed or damaged (Stelloh et al., 2025). In times of these natural disasters, we often, perhaps by human nature, focus on the people affected. Yet, there is a population equally impacted by this havoc: pets. Thousands of displaced and stray animals have been placed in shelters, while hundreds are awaiting to be reunited with their family that they were torn from in the chaos of the wildfires (Lee & Said, 2025). Animals from California are being transported to multiple states, including Texas and Utah, to lessen the extreme burden placed on shelters in Los Angeles and other areas of California. “They are so overcapacity and they’re intaking pets that have been burned,” said Cassie Davidson, a member of the Humane Society of North Texas who was working on the ground in L.A. to help shelters (Leach, 2025). Shelters in L.A. are 300-500% overcapacity and need all the help that they can get from neighboring organizations (Leach, 2025).
A total of 167 dogs and cats from L.A. shelters were flown to Fort Worth for placement in Texas shelters, while 84 cats and dogs were sent to the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kenab, Utah (Polis, 2025). The heartwarming and hopeful news: the protection and rescue of these animals has truly become a community effort nationwide. In Texas, 400 people became emergency fosters for dogs and cats to make sure the arrival of animals from L.A. did not displace pets that were already in Texas shelters (Leach, 2025). The arrival of 110 animals at the Best Friends Pet Adoption Center in L.A. resulted in 73 animals going to foster and adoptive homes (Polis, 2025). According to Leah Cohen, communications director for L.A. County Animal Control, there have been over 600 adoptions and rescues since the fires started (Mackey, 2025). Local hotels, such as the famous Beverly Hilton, are providing housing for both residents and their pets and helping supply guests’ pets with food and beds (Lee & Said, 2025). People from all over the country are volunteering and donating to help these animals in need, yet what they need most of all is people eager to adopt them.
The displacement of animals during natural disasters is, unfortunately, nothing new. In 2021, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) conducted a nationally representative survey, which showed that one in five pet owners had to evacuate their homes due to disaster or emergency, and almost half left behind at least one pet. The alarming and sad truth is that pets are in extreme danger from life-threatening disasters, especially when they are abandoned by their owners during emergency evacuations. If conditions are dangerous for people, they are equally dangerous for pets. Matt Bershadker, the president and CEO of ASPCA, called for “the vital need for effective preparedness tactics among pet owners, as well as local and national measures that protect vulnerable animals” (ASPCA, 2021). The California wildfires reiterated this need– individual and local plans for the evacuation of people as well as animals have the potential to save the lives and prevent the displacement of pets in times of emergency. If the extreme community involvement has shown us anything, it is that the lives and safety of animals are equally important as those of humans.
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Sources
Lee, J. & Said, S. (2025, January 26). Hundreds of displaced pets find refuge after being displaced in the LA wildifres. ABC News.
Leach, O. (2025, January 19). Over 100 shelter pets displaced in California wildfires arrive in North Texas. CBS News.
Polis, J. (2025, January 15). Fires inspire support for pets in L.A. shelters. Best Friends. https://bestfriends.org/stories/features/fires-inspire-support-pets-la-shelters.
Mackey, A. (2025, January 17). Animal shelters, overburdened with abandoned pets from SoCal wildfires, are grateful for support. ABC 7.
Stelloh, T., Lenthang, M., Cohen, R., & Helsel, P. (2025, January 17). California wildfires: What we know about L.A.-area fires, what caused them, who is affected and more. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/california-wildfires-what-we-know-palisades-eaton-los-angeles-rcna188239.
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. (2021, September 13). New ASPCA Survey Reveals 83 Prevent of Pet Owners in an Area Impacted by Disasters, Yet Less than Half Have a Preparedness Plan in Place.
​By: Ashley Chase